2013 ICOC Youth Corps Kicks Off in Lagos

Sunday church service at the ICOC, Ikeja region on 28th July, 2013 was boisterous with disciples and their children visiting from several regions and churches nationwide; it is the first day of the 5th season of the 2013 ICOC Youth Corps.

The church premises was busy and bumpy with luggage and bags. The atmosphere sizzled with the energy of bubbly kids excited about adventure. All counselors converged at the Kid’s Kingdom for an important meeting with Gbemi Williams, for receipt of details on the children under their care, names of the houses in this year’s camp, and their general itinerary.

Soon after the closing prayers, ‘a big sigh of relief’ counselors scrambled around the hall to gather their flocks from different regional posts within the massive Ikeja church hall. Afterwards our lunch was served in food packs and the children filed into the buses. It took an alarming 3 hours to gather the corpers into the buses and we were en route our camp is at Health Science Association Secondary School, Sango, Ogun State. It would surprise you that some of us had no clue where we were headed until we arrived. Some of us like those of us going for Hope Youth Corps for the first time and of which I am chief.

So we arrived and we arrived safe, calm and in shape to the glory of God. We were soon dispersed to our different hostels and individual rooms. After given considerable time to settle and freshen up (I figured a few had time for that) we all converged in the dinning hall for a roll call. For real? No actually it was more like acquaintance call. Networking call. Getting to know why-are-are-here call.

There were welcome addresses, rules and regulations, expectations, selection of house masters, mistresses and captains (male & female campers) per house, challenges for the houses about who emerges winner this year and eventually there was dinner. Dinner was late and the officials were worried but I guess it comes with the territory – first days on camp are always peculiar to the remaining days.

After dinner, counselors were given a heart-to-heart chat filled with instructions and ‘do nots’ all in the interest of our dearly beloved children.

Lights out was mid-night which was pretty late compared to what it naturally should be. Although all kids/campers where already in bed way before then.